The Bloodstone
by Aina Song
Summary: "There's a kind of emptiness/ That can fill you There's a type of hunger that can eat you up/ There's a cold and empty side to the moonlight/ And there's a darker side of Love." - Hanging by a Thread, by Nickel Creek
1. Rowen

**Title:** The Bloodstone

**By:** Aina Song

**Fandom:** Ronin Warriors/Yu Yu Hakusho

**Genre:** Yaoi

**Rating:** R

**Warning(s):** Language; Angst; Blood; Death; Post-NCS

**Pairing(s):** Rowen/Yusuke; Ryo + Kento; Sage + Cye

**Reviews:** Yes, please.

**Author's Note:** Standard Disclaimer. This story was not written for money. Italics = memory, dream, telepathy, or any other such gibberish. Depending on the situation in which they appear. Also, it is suggested that the reader takes into consideration the author's warnings.

**Teaser:** "There's a kind of emptiness that can fill you/ There's a type of hunger that can eat you up/ There's a cold and darker side of the moonlight/ And there's a lonely side of love…" - Hanging By a Thread, by Nickel Creek

**Chapter One - Rowen**

The world was an endless grey fog, with shimmering ash blanketing the ground. Far into the midst of this beautiful wasteland stood a dark shadow, weakened but defiant of his own weakness. Wracked with pain, refusing to be brought to his knees, his eyes burned with fierce loyalty as his torture began anew…

~o~

When Rowen Hashiba came downstairs, it was very obvious he had not been able to find much rest the night before. Three of his four housemates each shared a concerned glance as he came into the kitchen.

"Ro?" Ryo Sanada asked, "You okay?"

"Hell, no."

They watched as he reached into the refrigerator for a beer. But just as he brought it out, Cye Mouri snatched it away and pressed into his hand a cup of something warm and brown. Rowen eyed it critically, "What's this?"

"Coffee," Cye rolled his eyes, popping the beer open and pouring its contents into the sink. "Your drinking has become a nasty habit over the past couple of months, so I'm stepping in."

"But I hate coffee."

"Don't argue," the seafaring youth chided automatically, turning his back long enough to toss the can into the wastebasket and run the sink's faucet so that the kitchen would not smell of beer. He did not see Sage Date finally coming in to lean his shoulder up against the doorframe, or the look of tortured disgust Rowen tossed the blond behind Cye's back.

Sage smiled, waving his hand toward the coffee as though to say, I dare you. They both knew that Cye's coffee, like most of his concoctions, would be far from normal. Everyone in their household had played guinea pig to his inventions often enough to be wary just before the first taste, though to be fair they were always pleasantly surprised by the clever originality of the results.

"You seriously look like shit."

Cye whirled around, "Kento!"

"No, he's right." Rowen shook his head, leaning his back up against the fridge. "I feel like shit."

Sitting next to Ryo behind the counter island, Kento Rei Faun shrugged, as though his point had been proven. Cye shook his head, then noticed that Rowen had not yet touched his coffee. "Drink that, Rowen. You'll feel better."

"Do I have to?"

"Yes. And you'd better get used to it, because as of today I'm not letting one more drop of alcohol into this house until you learn not to depend on it to solve all your problems."

"Worked so far," Rowen muttered under his breath, finally sipping from the cup in his hand. It had an unusual flavor. Vanilla, mostly; but with a citrus aftertaste. Like a mix between apple cider and orange juice. But he could think of more unpleasant replacements for alcohol, so he drowned the rest without a word.

Ryo's dark eyes were filled with worry. "You do look unwell, Ro. Is something wrong?"

Sage stood quietly in the kitchen doorway. His pale blue eyes took in the concerned faces that circled his best friend. He knew Rowen had been keeping his nightly troubles a secret from the rest of their friends, but now he wondered whether that had been a wise decision.

"Ro's been having nightmares," he told them now, "over the past two months. Every night."

Shocked and dismayed, they all began to ask questions. Rowen gave his best friend a sidelong glare as the blond slipped out of the kitchen, though he understood. Sighing, he slowly and calmly explained the truth in as much detail as he dared. A heavy silence fell upon the room after he had done. When at last the silence was broken, it was by Ryo, who lifted his elbows atop the counter and leaned forward. "They could be a message…"

"But that would mean someone's tryin' to reach Ro," Kento pointed out. "Wouldn't it?"

That was when Sage returned, carrying an armful of sketchbooks. At Rowen's nodded permission, he set them upon the counter and revealed their contents. Rowen glanced away, not wishing to relive their depicted horror. Ryo stared, Kento whistled, and Cye came closer so that he might have a look. And though Cye despised profane language, a very torrid profanity fell from his own lips.

Rowen nodded again. "Whoever's trying to reach me… could be in some serious trouble."

"Sage," Ryo wondered. "How have you been drawing these? Did Rowen describe his nightmares to you?"

The blond youth shook his head, "He didn't need to. The Ronin power showed me all I need to know."

Their three friends stared in greater surprise. The Ronin power, that ethereal thread of consciousness that bound them all together, had fallen dormant to the back of their minds since the final defeat of Talpa. To hear that perhaps it had begun to reawaken was the equivalent of learning the blind could see again.

"Sage has always been more sensitive to it than the rest of us," Cye recalled. "That could be why he knew of this, and we didn't."

"But, what now?" Kento asked, "Someone needs Ro's help, right? How do we find out who it is?"

But Sage had already thought ahead. Grabbing the newest of his sketchbooks, he took Rowen by the arm. Their three friends followed through the dining room and into the living room, where Sage sat Rowen down on the couch. He then sat himself upon the knee table across from Rowen and took out the pencil he always carried in his pocket. "Okay, Ro," he said, flipping through his sketchbook until he reached a blank page. "What does he look like?"

"What? Why are you asking me?"

"You're the only one of us this person is trying to contact," Sage reminded. "We can do this."

"But how?"

"With the Ronin power. If you concentrate in your mind, we can sort through the memories of your nightmares for the pieces we need to put this puzzle together."

Sighing, Rowen sat back and closed his eyes. He did not move, and for a long while it seemed nothing was going to happen. But perspiration soon beaded the archer's brow, and after another moment Sage reeled and set pencil to paper.

Silence fell heavily again, while the others watched over Sage's shoulder. His progress was frustratingly slow, as he had to carefully pry each tiny detail from Rowen's mind and determine how it fit before sketching it down. And, as Sage was a professional who rarely let himself make mistakes, his chosen process swiftly drove the both of them toward exhaustion.

Rowen had spent the entire morning focusing on the pain and torment of his nightmares, before Sage finally begged him to stop. With a dizzy sigh, Rowen leaned forward and dropped his head into his hands. His mind swam in a dark red sea of anguish, and a headache had begun to thrum inside his skull.

"Here."

He looked up. Near his shoulder, Cye held a second cup of his coffee concoction. A cup for Sage had already been set on the table near the blond's thigh. Quietly mumbling something in gratitude, Rowen accepted the drink. After draining more than half of it in just a few swallows, he slowly felt some vigor ghosting back into his veins. He took a deeper breath, then turned his attention to his best friend.

Sensing his stare, Sage lifted his head with a heavy sigh, piercing Rowen with a look that spoke only of sympathy. Wordlessly, he took up his sketchbook and turned it over.

His cup nearly slipped from Rowen's hands. His heart seemed to race, and to stop, both at the same time.

"Th-that's him…"

~o~

Once the focus of his nightmares had been identified, the nightmares themselves began to change. The pain and torment were still there. Yet no longer did Rowen play the role of the victim. He was now a witness. To the anger. The betrayal. A witness, to the blood that was shed that was no longer his own.

He grew desperate. He fought, he struggled, to bring that torture back upon himself. But it was as though he hammered his fists against the outside of a window while on the other side, a large portion of his heart was torn to shreds. Every night, for the next several weeks, this went on unhindered. And every night, a dark pair of eyes stared at him as though to pick apart the secrets of his soul.

It was often then that a voice he did not recognize began to speak within his mind. At first, the words were too soft and seemed to spill together like too much wine. But with each passing night their syllables gradually pulled apart, until one night it was as though their voice whispered into his ear:

… no, run, Rowen, run… get the hell away from him, I'm the one you want, here, here I am, you filthy son of a - no, Rowen, DON'T!

His eyes flew open, so suddenly was he startled awake. The memory of pain from that last nightmare was so intense, tears threatened to sting in his eyes at the knowledge that he could not take that pain back upon himself.

Rowen…

His heart twisting within his chest, he quickly sat up in his bed and glanced around. Across their room, Sage was asleep in his bed. A rare sight, considering how often the strength of the Ronin power had forced the blond to share in a whisper of Rowen's torment. Wishing not to disturb his friend's rest, Rowen quietly dressed and left the room.

He knew what he had heard. It was not some lingering tendrils of wakeful dreaming; the voice he had heard speak into his mind was real. Someone was calling for him. Never once doubting who it could be, Rowen left the manor through the back and crossed the wide yard toward the forest.

Slowly, he wandered among the trees. It was after midnight, and the silence of the forest was only broken by the voice that whispered within his mind through the mystery of the Ronin power. It called, and he would turn left; it called again, and he would turn right. For longer than an hour he searched, only pausing if the voice had grown quiet.

"Where are you?" He would whisper into the darkness.

And, Rowen, it would answer, urging him to continue.

Finally, he came into a clearing he did not recognize. In its center stood a single dead oak tree, and a young man who sat with his back against the trunk. Rowen stepped closer. Here was the voice that had called for him. With torn dark clothes, and trails of blood from numerous hidden wounds, Rowen could understand this stranger seeking help.

With just a few paces between them, Rowen sank to his knee and quietly observed this person who had tried for so long to reach him. Short, unruly black hair, mocha brown skin, a lean muscle frame… He couldn't be more than a few years older than Rowen.

From around his neck hung a golden chain with a diamond-shaped golden talisman. Set in its center was a red oval gem, darker and purer somehow than rubies. The Ronin threads whispered in Rowen's mind of its power.

Curious, Rowen found himself reaching toward it for a closer look.

"Don't!"

Swifter than his eyes could follow, a hand flew out and caught his wrist.

He looked up. Fierce brown eyes glared back at him. But the next moment, they widened then began to glisten under the moonlight with sudden tears.

"R-Rowen…"


	2. Losing You Again

**Title:** The Bloodstone

**By:** Aina Song

**Fandom:** Ronin Warriors/Yu Yu Hakusho

**Genre:** Yaoi

**Rating:** R

**Warning(s):** Language; Angst; Blood; Death; Post-NCS

**Pairing(s):** Rowen/Yusuke; Ryo + Kento; Sage + Cye

**Reviews:** Yes, please.

**Author's Note:** Standard Disclaimer. This story was not written for money. _Italics_ = memory, dream, telepathy, or any other such gibberish. Depending on the situation in which they appear. Also, it is suggested that the reader takes into consideration the author's warnings.

**Teaser:** _"There's a kind of emptiness that can fill you/ There's a type of hunger that can eat you up/ There's a cold and darker side of the moonlight/ And there's a lonely side of love…"_ - Hanging By a Thread, by Nickel Creek

**Chapter Two - Losing You Again**

"That _is_ you, isn't it?" The stranger whispered, "Rowen?"

His heart hammering in his chest, he swallowed a breath of air. "So I was right. You _do_ know me, don't you."

The dark youth glanced down, seeming to strive for some control, and he slowly released Rowen's wrist. "Not yet," he muttered, carefully straightening to his feet. "But I will."

Rowen stood as well, "Should you be moving? You're bleeding everywhere."

"Scratches," he dismissed. Though as he stretched his arms out, the dark youth winced and pulled them back around his ribs. "Ah, damn," he rasped, bringing one arm away to find his hand red with his blood. "I should've known. He said I would have to pass through hell to get here."

"What? Who?"

"I could use some help followin' you back to Koji Major," he went on, ignoring those questions for now. "If you don't mind gettin' some blood on you."

Nodding, Rowen stepped closer and took the dark youth's arm across his shoulders. "Are you sure you can walk?"

"We'll have to see, won't we." Though as they started off, he tried to hide that he favored his right leg. "How did you know to find me out here, anyway?"

"You called to me," Rowen answered, carefully bringing the stranger forward one step at a time. "You've been calling for me for the past three months."

"I have?" But then he gave a short laugh, perhaps at himself as he added, "I guess I have." He glanced sidelong at his rescuer. "Name's Yusuke, by the way. Yusuke Urameshi."

~o~

It was nearing dawn when finally the manor came into view. Yusuke had shown an amazing resilience until then, despite the blood he had lost, but now his steps were beginning to falter. Even with Rowen's support, he could not seem to avoid tripping over his own feet.

Rowen began to worry. He could feel Yusuke slowly growing heavy on his arm, and he knew the blood loss would soon take its toll on his new companion.

"Rowen!"

He looked up. Sage, usually the earliest riser of them all, had discovered the two stumbling out of the forest and across the vast back yard. He ran up to them, staring at Yusuke. "You've done it. You found him."

Rowen nodded. Beside him, Yusuke lifted his head and squinted. It seemed the blood loss had begun to blur his vision. But then his eyes gleamed, and he gave a weak smirk. "H-hey… Blondie…" And with a soft moan, he dropped his head against Rowen's shoulder.

"Yusuke?"

Sage pressed two fingers to the dark youth's throat, nearly swearing when he could not find a pulse. "We should bring him inside." He came around, taking Yusuke's other arm across his shoulders; then added as an afterthought, "He… looked at me as though he knew me."

"I shouldn't doubt it," Rowen replied. "He even mentioned the manor by name."

"But I don't remember that he ever visited."

"Neither do I."

~o~

Whispering voices…

"_His clothes are in shreds. The blood's sticking them to his body. I'll have to cut them."_

"_Go ahead. We have plenty he can borrow."_

"_Very well."_ A sharp intake of breath, _"A talisman of power! Rowen-!"_

"_Leave it. He's very protective of it."_

"_But what is it? Is it a threat?"_

"_I don't think so. The feel of it doesn't speak of danger, anyway. Just don't disturb it."_

And then the darkness returned.

~o~

"All right," Sage sighed sometime later, wiping his hands on a damp cloth. "I won't claim to be a doctor, Rowen. I'm not proud of any of this."

"You tried. He's still breathing, anyway."

"But I haven't been able to revive a pulse," the blond insisted guiltily. "Look at him, Rowen. His body's so gaunt, he could pass for death itself. In fact, he _should_ have died, just from losing all that blood."

"You're not at fault," the blue-haired archer assured him. "Even if it does come to that. His heart has probably been weakened, that's all. With rest, he could regain whatever strength he has."

"I know." Sage sighed, "Just… Don't thank me until after he wakes up." He paused just outside the door, turning back. "And promise me that when you've finished up, _you'll_ get some rest, yourself. Much as it might seem otherwise, we're not on a deathwatch. The Ronin power has tied you to this person through your dreams; it won't let him reach critical without alerting you to the danger first."

"Aye, aye," he agreed with a humorless grin, softly closing the door and turning away.

Yusuke Urameshi lay asleep atop some old sheets upon Rowen's own bed. He was nude, still covered with blood, but at least now the majority of his wounds had been seen to. Sighing, Rowen came to the side of the bed, bending down to take a small cloth from a large bowl of warm water and very carefully began washing the remaining blood away. He washed the stitches only gently; he eased Yusuke up to a sitting position against his shoulder so that he could wash the blood from Yusuke's back.

The water in the bowl had become a distressing shade of blackened red after he had done. Carefully dumping the bowl of bloodied water into the tub down the hall, Rowen set the bowl upon the bathroom sink counter and returned to his room. He then began wrapping Yusuke's stitches in bandages, using a cross-work pattern as was his habit. There were two that worried him the most. One was very long and thick, stretching down the outside of Yusuke's right thigh. But the smaller one across the center of his chest was much more difficult to wrap, for two reasons. The first and most obvious was that Rowen needed to hold Yusuke in a sitting position, and shifting his arms around the darker youth's torso to wrap the bandages without jarring the other too much was a task at best. The other reason was the golden talisman which still hung from Yusuke's neck. Rowen was very mindful not to bother it too directly.

When finally he had done, he slowly pried the old blood-stained sheets out from under Yusuke and covered him with newer ones from the closet. All his fear while he had worked had taxed Rowen's body beyond exhaustion, and he sat himself down at last upon Sage's bed. Kicking off his shoes, he leaned his back into a corner and pulled one knee up to his chest. Then he draped his arm over that knee, rested his forehead upon his arm and very quickly fell asleep.

~o~

When Yusuke opened his eyes an hour later, he stared up at a familiar ceiling he had thought never to see again. Almost, he felt he had lost his perception of dream and reality; which had he stumbled into this time? But his entire body ached with the memory of pain, leaning him closer toward reality.

He felt the tight bandages pull around his chest as he breathed, and the tug of stitches underneath. The stitchwork felt familiar… Blondie's doing. But who had wrapped them?

Brushing his hand against his thigh, his eyes widened as he recognized the criss-cross pattern of the bandages. Slowly, he sat up and glanced about the room, and his next breath caught in his throat at what he found.

"Rowen…"

The archer stirred at Yusuke's startled whisper, lifting his head up from his arm. Still half-asleep, he offered a small smile. "Hey," was his soft greeting. "Sorry, but you'll have to stay in that bed a while longer. Your body needs healing."

Yusuke nodded obligingly, though the truth lay in an entirely opposite direction. "Who patched me up?"

"Sage. Too many questions, if we'd taken you to a hospital." His eyelids grew heavy, and he yawned, dropping his head again to his arm. "But you already knew that, didn't you. Why else would you have come… here…" He closed his eyes, turning his head away, "… instead…"

Yusuke carefully stood and crossed to the other bed. He paid no mind to his own nudity, being a demon and quite comfortable with his body, but he leaned forth and helped Rowen stretch out upon his back along the mattress. Spreading a blanket over him, Yusuke gave in to a sudden weakness and smoothed a few strands of blue from Rowen's eyes. Rowen hummed in his sleep, rolling his head to the side and brushing his cheek closer to Yusuke's palm.

The dark youth gave a sad smirk, stepping back. "Why?" He softly echoed. His hand came up to grasp the golden talisman which hung from his neck, and he shook his head. "What else could I do? It was the only way I knew, to keep from losing you again."


	3. Looking for Me?

_Title:__** The Bloodstone**_

_**By:**__ Aina Song_

_**Fandom:**__ Ronin Warriors/Yu Yu Hakusho_

_**Genre:**__ Yaoi_

_**Rating:**__ R_

_**Warning(s):**__ Language; Angst; Blood; Death; Post-NCS_

_**Pairing(s):**__ Rowen/Yusuke; Ryo + Kento; Sage + Cye_

_**Reviews:**__ Yes, please._

_**Author's Note:**__ Standard Disclaimer. This story was not written for money. Italics_ = memory, dream, telepathy, or any other such gibberish. Depending on the situation in which they appear. Also, it is suggested that the reader takes into consideration the author's warnings.

**Teaser:**_"There's a kind of emptiness that can fill you/ There's a type of hunger that can eat you up/ There's a cold and darker side of the moonlight/ And there's a lonely side of love…"_ - Hanging By a Thread, by Nickel Creek

**Chapter Three - Looking For Me?**

Just as the sun was beginning to set, Sage knocked gently upon his bedroom door. He did not expect an answer; when he received none, he quietly opened the door and stepped in.

"Hey, Blondie."

Swiftly turning his head, he found the young stranger sitting with his back to the wall upon Rowen's bed, the lower half of his body discreetly hidden under the sheets. He was watching Sage with fierce dark eyes that reminded Sage of some predator patiently awaiting its prey. Then he turned his gaze across the room toward the other bed, and it was as though some spell had been broken. Sage suddenly found he could breathe again.

"I only came to see how you were doing," he whispered, closing the door behind him. "And to check on Rowen."

"Rowen's asleep," the dark youth answered, without breaking his vigil upon the other bed. "He needs the rest more than I do, anyway."

"You can't be serious. Do you realize how convinced we were that you could've died while we were mending you?" When the other did not immediately answer, Sage tried again. "What's your name?"

"Yusuke Urameshi."

"Are you in trouble, Yusuke? Is that why you've been calling for Rowen's help?"

What happened next would tweak at Sage's curiosity for months to come. Yusuke did not look up, nor even seemed to ignore the question. His piercing brown eyes looked suddenly sad, and he appeared to need to steel himself for his own answer. "You don't understand. I wasn't calling to him for help."

"What?"

"I was begging to devil to spare him."

~o~

Cye looked up, his smile fading when he glimpsed the look on Sage's face as he came into the kitchen. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," the sighed, passing a hand through his thick hair. "Could I help you with dinner? I'd appreciate having something else to think about."

A look of sympathy passed across Cye's aquatic green eyes, and the seafaring youth stepped to the side to share the counter island. He slid a handful of small bowls over, "Grind these spices, while I paste the tomatoes into sauce."

Sage took the pestle in his hand, vaguely marveling at how Cye would often feel creative enough to do the simplest dishes from scratch. "Thick, or fine?"

"Finely powdered, please."

"All of it?" He lifted one bowl toward his face, wincing at the smell. "Even the garlic?"

"What?" Cye looked, then laughed at the face Sage was making. "No, put that down! You look about to pass out."

A small smile found its way to Sage's mouth as he set that bowl aside. Pulling another bowl to him, he set to work, pressing and grinding the dried leaves until they were little more than dust. Once, he complained that his arm was growing sore. But Cye only smiled and showed him how to adjust the angle of the pestle, relieving a great deal of pressure from Sage's elbow and shoulder.

When he had done, Cye had already made sauce of the tomatoes and was now chopping a few green and yellow bell peppers. With Cye's permission, Sage took a second knife and started in on a yellow one. Cye watched him a moment, then decided he had waited long enough. "Did something happen?"

Sage's hands paused, but only for an instant. "I was clinging to the hope that you wouldn't ask me that…"

"Well," he returned, not unkindly, "now I'm hoping for an answer."

"Yes," the blond finally sighed. "Something happened, though I'll find it difficult to explain."

Cye patiently set his knife down, offering his full attention. "Try."

"I'd gone upstairs… to check on them…"

"Yes?"

"Yusuke…" Sage looked up, "Yusuke Urameshi, that's his name; he was already awake when I came in."

Cye nodded.

"He wouldn't say much." Sage shrugged, "Only that Rowen needed more rest than he did."

"But he must've said something else," Cye suggested, adding the spices and diced peppers to his sauce. "To have upset you this much."

Sage watched as the culinary genius turned to the stove and ignited two burners; one beneath a pot of water, and the other beneath a skillet of ground sausage. "He did," the blond admitted. "And it does worry me, even while I don't understand it."

Cye nodded, a fraction of his attention now on his meat. "What was it?"

Here, he hesitated. "I wouldn't have believed him. I still don't know whether I should believe him, but… The look on his face when he said it…"

"What did he say?"

"That the reason he'd been calling out to Rowen wasn't for help. Rowen had only been overhearing him beg the devil to spare Rowen's life."

The spatula fell from Cye's hand, and he spun around. "Spare his life?"

Sage nodded.

"But, spare him from what?" He demanded, "What does Yusuke know that we don't?"

"Your meat is burning," the blond softly pointed out.

Muttering, Cye picked up his spatula and dropped it into the sink, cleaning up the few specks of sausage that had fallen to the floor and grabbing another spatula from a hook.

Sage watched him save the ground meat before any real damage could be done to it. "I did try to ask him," he finally confessed. "But he wouldn't answer."

"Because he doesn't trust us?"

After a moment, the blond shook his head. "I don't believe that. He only seemed to be… well, waiting for something."

Now, it so happened that Cye Mouri had a genuinely quick wit when it came to people. He could read a person better than an FBI interrogator. A sudden small smile came to his lips at this point, though he hid it before turning around. "Perhaps he feels that Rowen must be the first to hear it."

Sage grew quiet, as though surprised by his own momentary ignorance. "Of course," he slowly agreed. "The whole time I was up there, Yusuke rarely took his eyes off of him."

"There, you see? I can't guess how he knows Rowen, but this Yusuke must obviously be very protective of him." Cye dumped a good amount of spaghetti noodles into the pot of boiling water. He sprinkled in some salt, and poured a capful of vegetable oil, both to keep the noodles from sticking together. Then he traded the skillet of meat for the smaller pot of his sauce, and he lowered the heat to a simmer.

"Now," he added, carefully draining any grease from the sausage into the trash. "Was there anything else?"

"Yes," Sage suddenly remembered. "Yusuke Urameshi possesses a talisman of power."

"You've seen it?"

"Yes. It's no Jewel of Life, but the Ronin power whispers in the back of my mind whenever I look at it."

"Is it dangerous?"

"Rowen didn't think so." Sage shook his head, "But I can't help wondering its purpose…"

~o~

Rowen's eyes opened, and slowly he realized he was staring up at the wrong half of his bedroom ceiling. A tingling sensation swelled within his chest, arguing that he could use more rest, and even his muscles were sore with want of it.

"Rowen?"

He turned his head. Sitting on the foot of the bed, wearing new jeans and a beige polyester shirt, Yusuke Urameshi was watching him with piercing brown eyes. "Feeling any better?"

He nodded, "You?"

The dark youth offered a slow smirk. "I've felt worse." Then he tilted his head toward the door, "I can smell something from the kitchen. You hungry?"

"I haven't eaten since yesterday," Rowen admitted, sitting up. "But, I don't think my stomach would be up for anything heavy."

"A light snack it is," Yusuke smirked, standing. "Wait here. I'll find you something."

~o~

Yusuke rested his back against the door, tilting his head back with a heavy sigh. Beneath his borrowed shirt, his golden talisman was a burning cold reminder, waiting ominously against the center of his chest. Its power slowly dripped into his veins, but he knew too well that it would not last.

Its promise, after all, was only temporary.

~o~

Sage was greatly surprised to look up and find Yusuke Urameshi standing in the kitchen doorway. Cye turned in the direction he was staring. "Hello. If you're hungry, dinner will be ready in another ten minutes."

The dark youth looked at the brunet for a long minute, and then slowly shook his head. "You're Cye Mouri, aren't you."

"Yes."

Yusuke swore under his breath as he crossed the kitchen. "I must've gone further back than I thought…"

As he stepped around the counter island, Sage noticed that Yusuke's limp had already become much less pronounced. Yusuke brought out a small plastic basket of strawberries from the refrigerator, then filled a glass with cold water and left the kitchen, tossing a vague wink in their direction on his way out.

After he had gone, Sage turned to Cye, who gave him a curious look.

"How did he know my name?"

~o~

Rowen looked up at the sound of someone knocking on his door. "It's open," he answered, expecting Yusuke to have returned.

He had guessed wrong. Instead, Ryo and Kento stood in the doorway, both seeming somewhat surprised to find him awake. "Been knockin' on your door every hour, checkin' on ya," Kento admitted, rubbing the back of his neck.

Rowen shrugged, "I feel fine."

But Ryo did not look so convinced. "Is it him? Is that guy you brought back with you doing something to affect your health like this?"

"I was only out for a day, Ryo. I said I'm fine."

"Where is he, anyway?" Asked Kento, seeing that the other bed was empty.

"I'm right here."

They both spun around, staring. Yusuke stood a few paces down the hall, but still within sight enough of the doorway that Rowen could see him. The dark youth tossed Rowen a slight smirk, even while he was glaring at Ryo. "And if I was any sort of threat to him," he added in a low voice, "you wouldn't be alive to warn him of it."

Ironically, it was Kento who seemed persuaded not to argue. He actually muttered an apology, nudging Ryo around Yusuke and down the hall toward the stairs. Yusuke came into the room, calmly elbowing the door shut.

Rowen's blue eyes were wide as he accepted the glass of water. "I think you were serious…"

"I am," the dark youth replied. He sat near Rowen upon the bed and peeled the plastic lid from the basket of strawberries. "I once made a handful of specially armed forces regret they were my enemy."

Rowen had just been about to take a drink of his water, but now he lowered the glass to his knee. "That true?"

Yusuke nodded.

"Then why are you here? Anyone with that much power wouldn't need our help."

The other fell silent, glancing away. Rowen's blood suddenly grew cold, and he set his glass aside before it could slip from his fingers. "Yusuke. Why have you been looking for me?"


	4. Bloodied Alleyway

**Title:** The Bloodstone

**By:** Aina Song

**Fandom:** Ronin Warriors/Yu Yu Hakusho

**Genre:** Yaoi

**Rating:** R

**Warning(s):** Language; Angst; Blood; Death; Post-NCS

**Pairing(s):** Rowen/Yusuke; Ryo + Kento; Sage + Cye

**Reviews:** Yes, please.

**Author's Note:** Standard Disclaimer. This story was not written for money. _Italics_ = memory, dream, telepathy, or any other such gibberish. Depending on the situation in which they appear. Also, it is suggested that the reader takes into consideration the author's warnings.

**Teaser:** _"There's a kind of emptiness that can fill you/ There's a type of hunger that can eat you up/ There's a cold and darker side of the moonlight/ And there's a lonely side of love…"_ - Hanging By a Thread, by Nickel Creek

**Chapter Four - Bloodied Alleyway**

Yusuke Urameshi drew up his left leg, resting his arm atop his knee. His fierce dark eyes were fixed upon the floor. "I knew it wouldn't be long before you asked me that," he sighed.

"I have good reason," Rowen softly pointed out. "The images you fed into my mind weren't exactly pleasant."

There was a moment's pause, before Yusuke looked up and met Rowen's eyes with his own. "Images?"

Rowen nodded, "You don't remember?"

"I remember callin' out to you. I threw your name in every direction, searchin' for you."

"But, why? Why me?"

When he still would not answer, Rowen tossed his blanket aside and got to his feet. He swayed a bit, his head protesting the sudden movement. The dizziness soon passed, and he went over to Sage's desk and took out the first of a stack of sketchbooks. These he brought with him back to the bed, and he dropped them near Yusuke's wounded leg. He sat down again, starting in on the strawberries as he watched the dark youth flip through the sketchbooks pages.

Yusuke swore, "Where did you get these?"

"Sage drew them."

"Blondie? He does landscapes."

Rowen nodded, not bothering to ask how the other knew such things. "The five of us share a type of empathy which we call-"

"The Ronin power," Yusuke murmured. He looked up, "You tellin' me the whole time I was callin' for you, I was sending you these pictures in your head, and Blondie picked up on them?"

"Basically."

"Shit."

Rowen moved closer, resting the basket of strawberries near his leg. "So, what do they mean? Are they real?"

"They're real," the dark youth sighed. He flipped down a few pages to one revealing a bloodied alleyway. Yusuke stared at it a moment, his brow furrowed and his eyes intense. Rowen had a distinct feeling this one disturbed the dark youth the most, as Yusuke's eyes looked seconds away from swelling with tears.

Yusuke caught him watching and glanced away. "This one," he finally spoke, his voice suddenly gruff. "This is where it all began…"

"What happened?"

The dark youth closed his eyes a moment, and then he turned his head and held Rowen's gaze.

"My lover died in that alley."

~o~

The archer of the skies stared, "How?"

Yusuke tunneled his fingers through the feathery black strands of his hair with a heavy sigh. "I'm… a Spirit Detective." He shook his head, "I _was_ a Spirit Detective. I used to hunt demons for a living. The kinda job that earns you a lot of friends, and a _lot_ of enemies. Some, that ignored my retirement and came after me anyway."

"Was that how-?"

"Yeah. We decided to dig them out, before they found us. We heard about this one guy in particular who really had it in for me. Didn't take long to fall for his trap; he led us straight into that alley. The fight lasted hours. I was thrown against a dumpster, and cut my chest and leg against some scrap metal. The guy saw his chance, but then…"

Rowen softly filled in the silence, "Your lover got in the way."

"I tried to stop him."

"Him?"

Yusuke nodded, "Even begged my enemy to take me instead. But it was like they couldn't hear me. He died, then I slaughtered the bastard that killed him…"

"I'm- I'm sorry."

The dark youth grew quiet, flipping to the next page. Rowen looked down, recognizing the blossoming tree with its petals raining over an unmarked grave. "Was this his?"

"Yes, it is." Yusuke shook his head, "I've never been to see it."

"Why not?"

"The night it happened…" Here, he glanced away. "Watchin' him die… Kinda caused me to lose my mind."

Rowen looked up, "I don't understand. You seem okay to me."

Yosuke offered a smirk that did not reach his eyes. "Believe me, I'm not. I'm as screwed up as they get. I'm just… better at hiding it than most, I guess. That night, I snapped. I had a few friends in very high places, and I, uhn… Let's say _convinced_, one of them to help me break some rules."

"What do you mean? What rules?"

For an answer, the dark youth flipped to the next page in the scrapbook. Rowen stared, as it was this one that had frequented his nightmares most often. "Ash fields…"

"The Grey Rim."

Rowen looked up again to find Yusuke was watching him closely. An uncomfortable feeling twisted within his chest to see the pain that haunted those fierce eyes. And he suddenly realized that this last sketch held the most important answers. "Yusuke. What is the Grey Rim?"

"Time, eternal."

"What?"

But Yusuke only nodded. "Even as a Spirit Detective, I never knew anything about it. Apparently, it's a realm where all the currents of time come together. And it's forbidden to trespass there."

"But… you-"

"Broke that role, yeah." The dark youth reached into the collar of his shirt, bringing out the golden talisman he still wore around his neck. "Do you know what this is?"

Rowen shook his head.

"It's called a Bloodstone, and its power is also forbidden."

"Why?"

"Because you'd have to give up your life to use it."

"What?"

Yusuke pointed to the red gem in its center. "By pouring my blood into the hollow stone and sacrificing my physical body, this thing has allowed me to resist the punishments of the Grey Rim and travel a few years back to search for my lover in the past so I could warn him about that night in the alley."

~o~

Now Rowen was finding it very difficult to breathe. Holding a hand to his head, he carefully stood and stepped away from the bed. The basket of strawberries tipped over the side of the bed and spilled across the carpet, but Rowen paid it no mind. The entire conversation swam in his mind, several points echoing louder than others. "Wait," he moaned, trying to catch his breath. "What are you…?"

"Rowen," the dark youth softly replied, eyes never leaving him. "I think you know what I'm tryin' to say."

"But you're lying! You must be."

"Hey, you think this is easy for me?" Yusuke swore. "I was there, Rowen; I watched you die. I held you, I felt your heart stop beneath my hand… How do you think I feel now, seeing you stand there before me and knowing the worst experience of my life hasn't even happened yet!"

They both nearly jumped when an insistent knock sounded against the bedroom door. Soon Rowen's four housemates and closest friends were all standing in the open doorway. "We heard shouting," Cye apologized.

Ryo was glaring at Yusuke, "What's going on?"

The dark youth ignored them, his fierce gaze fixed on Rowen as he slowly got to his feet. And perhaps Sage was the only one to notice that Yusuke Urameshi no longer pretended to favor the limp in his right leg as he crossed the room.

"You believe me, Rowen." He spoke with soft confidence, "I know you do. I only wish I had forever to convince you of it." Then he turned toward the doorway, giving Ryo a dark look as he stepped into the hall toward the stairs.

Ryo, Kento, and Cye watched him go; while Sage quietly came to Rowen's side, not liking the look on his best friend's face. "Rowen?"

The blue-haired archer was staring down at the sketchbook they had left on Sage's bed. It lay open upon the blankets; at some point, the pages had flipped back to the pencil sketch of a bloodied alleyway.


	5. Love You, Rowen

**Title:** The Bloodstone

**By:** Aina Song

**Fandom:** Ronin Warriors/Yu Yu Hakusho

**Genre:** Yaoi

**Rating:** R

**Warning(s):** Language; Angst; Blood; Death; Post-NCS

**Pairing(s):** Rowen/Yusuke; Ryo + Kento; Sage + Cye

**Reviews:** Yes, please.

**Author's Note:** Standard Disclaimer. This story was not written for money. _Italics_ = memory, dream, telepathy, or any other such gibberish. Depending on the situation in which they appear. Also, it is suggested that the reader takes into consideration the author's warnings.

**Teaser:** _"There's a kind of emptiness that can fill you/ There's a type of hunger that can eat you up/ There's a cold and darker side of the moonlight/ And there's a lonely side of love…"_ - Hanging By a Thread, by Nickel Creek

**Chapter Five - Love You, Rowen**

The next day was a new kind of hell for Yusuke. He worried that he might have pushed his luck with Rowen. Worse, he doubted he had time enough left for another try.

How long, until the Bloodstone's promise was ended?

~o~

Sage closed the door behind him, shaking his head at the sad sight before him. His blue-haired roommate was idly flipping through the same sketchbook from the night before.

"Ro?"

He looked up, something untold clouding his blue eyes. "Have you… ever thought it might be possible to go back and change something that'd already happened?"

"… I don't know," Sage carefully replied, coming over to sit beside him on the bed. "It's certainly something we've all wished for, at one point or another. Especially while fighting the Dynasty, but… To think of it as an actual possibility is a bit difficult."

"But if it were," Rowen quietly insisted, "and if you knew the price of such an opportunity was higher than anything you'd ever expect yourself to pay… Would you do it?"

The blond swordsman thought for a moment, knowing his friend had a reason for his questions, whatever it was. "A hefty price does make one stop and reconsider. Why change what might be better left unaltered? Science fiction has always hinted that to pluck at the threads of time might unravel the entire tapestry. Chaos, they say." He paused, "But… if the situation was desperate enough, and if a decision must be made… I suppose there's no predicting what a person might do."

~o~

Yusuke had spent the day wandering the large backyard, carefully avoiding anyone else so he would not have to answer their questions before Rowen was ready for them to find out. His unease did little for his pent-up energy, and by late afternoon it was begging to be released. Without hesitation, he raced into the forest. The few slivers of sunlight that peeked between the thick branches overhead could not catch him as he sped among the trees, following the river faster than human eyes could follow.

Finally, he came upon a clearing that hid the river's tail-end, which widened into a small lake. Relieved that he could recall where he was, he stepped into its shallow waters and waded forth until the surface reached toward his thighs.

The late sun shone warmly here, and Yusuke lifted his face to its embrace. Giving a sigh, he closed his fierce dark eyes and spread his arms wide. His energy answered his silent call, eagerly catching aflame beneath his skin. He could feel the water shift back from around his legs, just before his energy escaped its tethers and set itself loose. His body burned with its intensity, and he let out a frustrated shout as he pushed all that blue fire out into air around him. He forced the last of his energy in a great surging flare of burning light. As though in answer, even the Bloodstone shone a fiery red against his chest.

When at last he had exhausted all of his energy, he dropped his arms and fell to his knees in the water. His head thrummed, his skin tingled, and the Bloodstone once again felt cool against his chest. But he felt better. His mind had cleared, his energy slumbered again beneath his skin, and he no longer felt the urge to destroy something.

Yet he still did not feel whole. He could burn the remnants of his very soul - tempting, that - and still it would not convince Rowen accept the truth until he was ready.

"Yusuke?"

His eyes flew open, and he turned his head away from the sun. He did not need to wait for his eyes to regain focus; he would know that hair anywhere.

"Hey, Blondie."

Sage stepped carefully closer to the lake's edge, his pale blue eyes wide and disbelieving. "I-I was further up the river, and I-"

"Sensed a spike of powerful energy and followed it here?" Yusuke suggested. Nodding, he straightened to his feet. "Here I am."

Sage stared, "That was you?"

"Who else," he smirked, though the humor did not reach his fierce eyes. "Don't worry yourself about it. I've lost the ability to actually use it against anybody."

"You have?"

"Yeah."

The blond youth studied Yusuke carefully. "Why would you tell me something like that?" He finally asked. "I could use that against you."

"No, you wouldn't," he challenged. "You're convinced that I didn't come to Koji Manor to endanger anyone, and so you don't see any reason to betray me."

"What?"

"Besides. Rowen trusted me from the beginning. Even if he isn't speaking to me right now. And even if you didn't trust _my_ word, you've always trusted _his_."

Sage was left staring again. "How do you know all this?"

Yusuke shook his head, "You wouldn't believe me if I told you. Not yet, anyway."

"What do you-?"

But Yusuke suddenly threw his arms wide and fell backward into the water. Long minutes passed, and Sage watched the surface with growing concern. When at last Yusuke came up, he did not seem the least bit out-of-breath. If anything, his downcast eyes seemed even more upset. He lifted a hand out of the water, letting its silvery drops trickle between his fingers, and he shook his head with a short sigh.

Sage stepped closer. "What's the matter?"

"Nothing." Standing, Yusuke waded toward the lake's edge and came out of the water. He barely seemed to notice his drenched hair and soaked clothes as he passed Sage by and walked back into the forest. With his energy satisfyingly dissipated, he felt no need to hurry.

By the time he returned to the manor, with Sage following behind him, the warm sun had aired his clothes dry. They came in through the kitchen door, where Rowen looked up then took up his glass of water and left the room without a word. Yusuke watched him go, and then swore under his breath. He turned toward the counter, where Cye was filling in a recipe card with yet another one of his concoctions.

"I need to talk to you. Alone."

Sage looked about to protest, but the auburn-haired youth only smiled and nodded. Not without some reluctance, and a bit of curiosity, Sage accepted Cye's decision and left the kitchen. Cye motioned for Yusuke to sit upon the stool next to his. "Has this anything to do with Rowen?"

The dark youth nodded, sitting down. "I need your help."

Cye's sea-green eyes widened, "You don't strike me as the type of guy to ask for that."

"I'm not." Then he sighed, "Usually."

The bearer of Torrent shrugged, scribbling the last instructions onto his recipe card. Yusuke looked over, the barest smirk edging his lips as he glimpsed the card's headline. FireFly Leviathan. He remembered that one. How often had Rowen hinted that the nomad sailor had hidden a powerful tolerance for whiskey? It nearly made Yusuke cringe to recall what additions were put into said whiskey to give it _that_ name. He glanced away as Cye finished up, pretending not to have seen anything while the other youth slipped it into his recipe box.

"Now, then," Cye encouraged. "What's wrong?"

Yusuke leaned his elbows atop the counter and dropped his head into his hands. "I told Rowen the real reason I'd been searching for him, and I know he believes me."

"Then the problem would be…?"

"He's in denial."

Cye nodded, "Any idea why?"

"Well, yeah," Yusuke reluctantly confessed. Raking his fingers through his hair, he bit off a profanity and sat up. "I mean, anyone would be. But I just- I'm not gonna lie to him, Cye; I'm not gonna say, 'Hey, I take it all back, don't worry.' I have a higher opinion of him than that."

Cye thought for a moment, not wishing to pry. Finally, he shook his head. "I'm sorry, Yusuke. I don't think I quite understand what it is you're asking of me."

"Yeah, me neither," the dark youth sighed, getting up and moving away from the counter island. "I'm sorry to bother you. Rowen goes to Sage if he needs a listening ear; Sage goes to Rowen; Ryo and Kento seek out each other… But they all agree that you were the best choice if they needed someone to talk to, separate from one another, and I thought I'd give it a try. Sorry."

~o~

It was well after sundown before Rowen at last confronted Yusuke alone in the living room. The dark youth was sitting on his couch, face buried in his hands. He did not seem to notice that he was no longer alone. But when Rowen quietly sat down next to him and rested a hand to Yusuke's shoulder, he heard the dark youth mutter from behind his hands; "I just wanted to warn you…"

And Rowen sighed, "I know. And you were right. I do believe you."

After a minute or so, Yusuke dropped his hands and looked up with just a hint of his usual smirk. And with that one hesitant smile, the tension that had floated between them all day suddenly had gone. "So," Rowen softly added. "What do we do now?"

Yusuke frowned down at his hands, and he shrugged. "My only thought was to see you again, and to warn you. I didn't think much further than that."

"Liar. I know it has something to do with that talisman."

Yusuke swiftly turned his head, his dark eyes staring. "How did you know that?"

"You told me." He shrugged, "Or you tried to. Something about not being able to wait forever?"

The dark youth nodded.

"How does it work?" Rowen wondered.

Yusuke was quiet a moment, then lightly grasped Rowen's wrist. "Here," he said, bringing Rowen's hand toward his chest. "Try to feel for my heartbeat."

Rowen, remembering Sage's fears when first they had tended to the dark youth, held very still. He felt Yusuke's strong chest beneath the shirt, felt it swell and shrink back with every breath. But no echo pulsed against his palm. "You really _don't_ have one…"

"I haven't for years, not a normal one anyway."

"But-"

"But this is different, yeah. Instead of slowing down to about ten beats a day, it's stopped altogether." Yusuke took a breath, "After sacrificing my body and feeding my own blood into the stone, its power gave me this temporary form instead."

"Another body? But when I found you-"

"I know. I was covered in blood and I still have cuts and scrapes from that night in the alley." Yusuke looked suddenly awkward as he added, "That blood you found me in… It was mostly yours."

Rowen felt a terrible pressure in his head, and fought the urge to black out. "M-mine? But… All those cuts…"

The dark youth shrugged, "I'd just escaped from the Grey Rim, remember? Talk about torture. And this body was still new. Still raw. But it's not _real_, Rowen. I can't bleed; I can't feel pain. I'm never hungry or tired."

"Never?"

He nodded, "But, also… I can't feel anything the way I used to; my skin is numb to everything. Even water," he sighed. "And… I only exist now until the Bloodstone's power runs out."

Rowen's own heart missed a beat, and finally brought his hand away. "How long?"

Here, Yusuke hesitated. "I don't know. I was told that its power can only keep me solid so long as my blood is still feeding the stone." His hand reached up to grasp the talisman, "I can feel it draining. I don't think it'll be much longer now."

A heavy silence fell between them, and Rowen felt somewhat responsible for this whole mess. "I want to do something for you," he heard himself offer. "I want to help."

"It can't be helped. This is my price for forcin' my way into the past, where I don't belong. There's nothing we can do to stop it."

But Rowen shook his head, "No, I mean- I want to do something now, something that won't make all of this seem so unfair-"

"Unfair?"

He looked up to find that Yusuke was staring at him again. Rowen nodded. "You shouldn't have to be punished for trying to save my life."

A fierce light shone in Yusuke's dark eyes, and he glanced away. "There _is_ something you could do," he spoke, his voice barely above a whisper. "But I'm not even sure I'd have the right anymore to ask."

"What is it?"

The dark youth suddenly fell back against the cushions, lifting one hand to rub at his eyes. "I must still be outta my mind…"

Rowen said nothing, waiting. Whatever his request, it was undoubtedly something important. Finally, Yusuke dropped his hand and swore up at the ceiling.

"Rowen. The last time I held you in my arms, you were dying. I wish… I want to be able to erase that memory from my head, but it- it's always gonna be there, isn't it…"

Something akin to pain tightened around his lungs, and the blue-haired archer did not know what to say to that. Instead, he found himself moving closer to Yusuke's side and turning a bit so he could lean his back against the side of Yusuke's chest. He felt and heard Yusuke's sharply indrawn breath, which was slowly let out again in a broken sigh, but soon the dark youth's arms folded around him in a secure embrace.

~o~

"You're a demon?"

"Yep."

"But you said you used to hunt demons."

"I got the job before we found out. Anyway, who better to track them down than one of their own?"

It was twenty minutes later and Rowen, still in the dark youth's arms, had decided to learn as much as he could from his future lover. And it was obvious Yusuke wanted the same thing, for he had yet to refuse any of Rowen's questions.

"Who else knew you were a demon?"

"Besides you? There were a handful of humans who knew. Almost everyone here, of course, and some others. And I did have a couple demon friends who had known me before I found out, so…"

"Who?"

One of Yusuke's hands slid down, his fingers interlocking with Rowen's. "Well, there's Kurama. He's, uhn… Well, he's smart. A genius, really, you wouldn't believe how smart he is. He prefers to spend time among humans; his name's Suuichi Minamino around them. Polite to his elders, etcetera. But he can be dangerous if those he cares about are threatened."

"Is that a warning?"

"Then there's Hiei." Yusuke gave a short laugh, "Takes a lot to get past _his_ quick temper. He's very untrusting; he believes most humans to be inferior."

Rowen shook his head, "How'd you get someone like that to be your friend?"

"Long story. Actually, once you win his trust, he can be damned loyal."

"Hey, lookit here!"

Rowen turned his head. Both Kento and Ryo had just come in from the dining room. Kento was grinning ear to ear, but Ryo did not look as happy to see them sitting so comfortably together. "What did you do," he wondered, "to make Rowen forgive you so easily?"

And Rowen thought he felt a low growl rumbling in Yusuke's chest, as the dark youth quietly answered, "You think it was easy?"

Ryo's eyes narrowed in suspicion, but Kento quickly wrapped his arms around the fire warrior from behind and nibbled the other's neck. "C'mon, baby, leave the two lovebirds alone. Didn't you promise me a hot spar; let's go outside, so I can kick your ass…"

And the front door swung shut behind them.

There was a long minute of silence, before Rowen shook his head again. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. He's just tryin' to be a good friend."

He twisted a bit so he could look up and meet Yusuke's eyes with his own. "What do you have against Ryo, anyway?"

"Who, me?" The dark youth's slow smirk returned, "Nothin'."

"Yusuke…"

"I'm a lightning beast, Rowen. A predator, like him. We don't exactly mix." He shrugged, "That whole 'male dominance' thing. Not to mention that he can sense the threat of my power."

"Will it always be like that with the two of you?"

"Well, no." The hint of fangs peeked through his smirk then. "Eventually, he'll learn to meet me halfway."

Rowen gave him a long look, but decided to let it go. He would find out when the time came anyway. "It feels strange," he confessed instead. "To know all these things before they happen…"

The smile slowly fell from Yusuke's lips, and the light faded from his fierce brown eyes. "But it _will_ happen. All of it." He sighed, "Rowen, that night in the alley-"

"Yusuke, don't."

"But if you knew his name-"

Rowen shook his head, "I don't want to know. It'll just give me paranoia."

But Yusuke still looked worried as he swept his fingers through the feathery strands of Rowen fine blue hair. Rowen tried to smile past the sudden twinge in his chest. "If it makes you feel any better… Maybe I'll wear a sign with big bold letters that say 'Bogus Target: Minus One Hundred Points'."

"Very funny."

He sighed, "Yusuke. I'll be careful."

Such a promise was obviously not enough to drive the fear from the dark youth's eyes, but Yusuke said nothing more and nodded. After a moment, he looked up. His slow smirk returned. "Hey, Blondie."

Rowen turned his head. Sage was standing in the dining room doorway. He smiled to see them sitting together, but his pale eyes held a worried light. "Have either of you seen Cye?"

"No," Rowen answered. "What's wrong?"

"He said he was going into the city to pick up a few things for tonight's dinner." Sage passed a hand through his blond hair with a heavy sigh, "It's probably nothing, but… I thought he might've been back before now."

~o~

Yusuke frowned, "He went alone?"

Sage nodded. Rowen gently pulled away from Yusuke's arms, turning around. But the dark youth's mind was racing. Something about this moment struck a warning, and he had a sickly feeling that he knew the reason why.

"Yusuke." Rowen asked, "What is it?"

The other stood, coming to a decision. "I need to check something," he announced, crossing through the dining room and into the kitchen. Rowen and Sage followed, and he waited for them by the far wall. He jerked his thumb at the month their calendar was displaying. "This thing accurate?"

Rowen nodded, stepping closer.

"I don't understand," Sage carefully argued. "What has this got to do with Cye?"

"Show me today," Yusuke insisted.

Rowen lifted his finger toward the calendar. And Yusuke's blood grew cold when it pointed to the exact day he was silently begging it not to.

"_Fuck_…"

~o~

"Hurry up, c'mon!"

Ryo stared as Yusuke, Rowen, and Sage all raced out of the front door toward Sage's jeep.

"The hell's going on?" Kento blurted.

"I don't know," Sage muttered, starting the engine; while Rowen shouted, "Cye's in trouble!"

"This is a group activity, tiger boy," Yusuke demanded as he climbed into the passenger seat. "You comin' or not?"

His words jarred Ryo from his momentary shock, and he and Kento hurried into the back seat.

~o~

The drive seemed to stretch on forever, though Sage was pushing the speed limit as much as he dared. Yusuke was barking his directions impatiently, fraying their nerves as everyone wondered what was about to happen. Finally they came upon a long-abandoned construction site on the outskirts of the city.

Sage cut off the engine. "Is this it?"

The dark youth nodded, his mouth set in a grim line.

Kento swore, "What would Cye be doin' in a place like this?"

"He didn't come here by choice."

The four warriors shared a surprised glance, following as Yusuke got out of the jeep. He led them silently into the midst of the site, amongst metal planks and a rusted bulldozer. Ryo, who had been watching him curiously, gave Yusuke a look that held none of its usual suspicion. "How do we know where to find him?"

"A crane," the fierce demon muttered. "We're lookin' for a crane…"

Rowen, Sage, and Kento all spotted it at the same time:

"Over there!"

"Cye!"

"Holy shit!

They quickly came over, and even Yusuke was shocked and dismayed by the sight before them. Hanging from the black crane's large hook was indeed Cye Mouri. Ropes tied his legs together and bound his wrists behind his back. A length of rope leading from the hook to those wrapped around his stomach were what held the sea-faring youth off the ground.

His clothes were missing. Cuts of all sizes marred his nude body, every one of them bleeding freely. Blood ran thickest down the left side of his face, and down the backs of his thighs. A dirty rag gagged his mouth. He was unconscious.

Sage nearly lost his mind with panic. "Kento, quick! Help me lower him down."

"What," the other stammered. "That's not a dozer, Sage; I don't know how to operate that thing."

"_Please_!"

And so Kento clambered up into the crane, while Sage and Ryo loosened the ropes. Carefully, they managed to get their youngest comrade down. The last of the ropes fell away as Sage pulled Cye gently to him. He untied the filthy rag and tossed it aside. Cye's face was smudged with dirt and blood; yet to Sage it looked as though the auburn-haired youth had only fallen asleep. Sage's legs grew suddenly weak, and he sank to his knees with Cye still in his arms.

"He isn't moving," Ryo observed, growing even more concerned.

Kento leapt down the crane, "How do we stop the bleeding?"

"He needs a doctor."

They all turned to Yusuke, who had not moved since they had spotted the crane. His fierce brown eyes were intense as he lowered his voice so that only Rowen would hear his next words: "The first time I met Cye Mouri was through stories and black-ribboned photographs."

The archer of the skies felt the warmth drain from his veins as he interpreted the warning. "Hospital," he nodded. "I'll get a blanket." And he raced back toward the jeep, promising to hurry back.

Ryo and Kento helped Sage slowly to his feet, and Cye finally stirred as he stood.

"Uhn…"

"It's okay, Cye," Sage whispered. "It's us."

Torrent's green eyes blinked open. "S-Sage…?"

"Yes, it's me, Cye. We're here now."

"Sage." And Cye's hand lifted to weakly fist the blond's shirt, "Don't let them touch me, Sage; I-I don't want to feel anything like that again…"

"Easy," he soothed. "They're not here, now. They're gone, and we're going to get you the quickest help we can find."

"B-but he had a gun!" Cye's pretty sea-green eyes suddenly brimmed at the memory. "One of them had a gun, and he p-put it in me; he used it to-"

"Cye, don't," Sage quickly begged, shutting his eyes tight and feeling his heart break at the mere mention of what might have happened. "Don't think about them. Look, here comes Rowen with the blanket."

Cye rolled his head to the side, and very promptly began crying with fear. But Sage had seen it, too. "Ro, look out!"

Some short distance away, Rowen halted in his tracks and whirled around. Several feet behind him stood as grizzly-looking middle-aged man. And, as Cye had predicted, he held a gun. "That's _my_ prize," he shouted, firing his weapon.

~o~

Yusuke Urameshi was the only one to react in time. Swifter than even their eyes could follow, he moved into the bullets' path. The first one missed him completely; the other one struck his talisman, ricocheting off in another direction. The dark youth staggered to his knees with the impact, while the stranger dropped his weapon and ran.

~o~

The world greyed around the edges for Rowen, and it seemed to slow down around him. Vaguely, he could hear Ryo and Kento shout as they chased after the man. He was aware of Sage taking the blanket from his hands and draping it over Cye's shoulders, and the two disappeared in the direction of the jeep. After a moment, a foul profanity fell from Yusuke's lips, and the world sped back to normal. That was when the blue-haired youth's strength suddenly fled him, and Rowen collapsed to his own knees at Yusuke's side.

Yusuke held his talisman in his hand, its red gem shattered. He looked up, his eyes dark with willing defeat. "The Bloodstone's promise is broken…"

But Rowen found himself shaking his head in denial, "No."

"I don't have a choice," he answered, even as the beginnings of a thick red fog swirled around his legs. "I have to go."

"Don't…"

"We'll meet again, Rowen. You know we will."

"When?"

The barest smirk reached Yusuke's mouth, while the blood-red fog crept up around his hips. "I'm not about to ruin it for you by tellin' you that, now. Where's the fun in that?"

"Yusuke…"

"Remember my warning, Rowen. My punishment won't mean anything if you don't remember my warning."

"I will."

Now the ominous red fog had reached Yusuke's chest.

"Wait. Please."

Yusuke's fierce brown eyes were intense, "I can't…"

Rowen swore, as the fog swirled over Yusuke's shoulders; he quickly gripped the back of Yusuke's neck and pulled him forward. Then he was kissing Yusuke's mouth, his heart wrenching at the sounds of the dark youth's surprised hum growing into a low growl of appreciation. Burning hot tears stung in Rowen's eyes when he pulled away in time to watch Yusuke's head disappear within the blood-red swirl of fog. Then all of it at once faded into the night, leaving the talisman spinning in the air before it too crumbled like dust and was swept away. Only Yusuke's voice remained, whispering on its way like a passing breeze.

"I love you, Rowen…"


	6. Epilogue -- You Will

_**Title:**__ The Bloodstone_

_**By:**__ Aina Song_

_**Fandom:**__ Ronin Warriors/Yu Yu Hakusho_

_**Genre:**__ Yaoi_

_**Rating:**__ R_

_**Warning(s):**__ Language; Angst; Blood; Death; Post-NCS_

_**Pairing(s):**__ Rowen/Yusuke; Ryo + Kento; Sage + Cye_

_**Reviews:**__ Yes, please._

_**Author's Note:**__ Standard Disclaimer. This story was not written for money. Italics_ = memory, dream, telepathy, or any other such gibberish. Depending on the situation in which they appear. Also, it is suggested that the reader takes into consideration the author's warnings.

**Teaser:**_"There's a kind of emptiness that can fill you/ There's a type of hunger that can eat you up/ There's a cold and darker side of the moonlight/ And there's a lonely side of love…"_ - Hanging By a Thread, by Nickel Creek

**Epilogue - You Will**

When his world finally came back into focus, Rowen looked up to find Ryo standing before him. Ryo Sanada spoke, softly answering Rowen's questions without needing to be asked. "Sage is already taking Cye to a hospital and says he plans to stay with him overnight. Kento went looking for Cye's car. And Cye's swearing he'll never go into the city alone after this."

"Did you get the bastard who did this to him?"

"No," he muttered, looking very pissed at himself for it. Then he sighed, giving Rowen a look of apology. "I don't understand most of what just happened, but I know enough to realize I was wrong about Yusuke Urameshi."

Rowen slowly got to his feet, "Never mind. He knew you were just trying to look out for the rest of us."

"Tell me the truth," he softly insisted. "If he hadn't led us here…?"

The blue-haired archer looked up and met his gaze directly. "Cye wouldn't have been found until it was too late."

Ryo stared, "You mean-?"

Rowen nodded.

"Damn."

~o~

_(where time knows no bounds…)_

A falling rose-pink petal landed softly on his cheek, and his dark eyes blinked open. He lay there for a long moment, staring up at the ash-grey branches hanging high above his head, and an endless starlit black sky beyond that.

"Welcome home, Yusuke."

He rolled his head to the side. Sitting next to him, a young deity with brown hair and eyes of golden amber gave a small smile around the blue pacifier in his mouth. This other winked and cocked his head to the left. "Someone's been waiting for you," he revealed with another smile as he disappeared into the abyss.

The dark youth sat up, his fierce brown eyes widening as he watched a very familiar shadow slowly appear out of a thick white fog and took form, revealing feathery blue hair and infinitely dark blue eyes.

Yusuke jumped to his feet. "R-Rowen?"

The hazy silhouette grew solid at last, and a twenty-some-year-old archer offered a heart-breaking smile as he came to a halt before Yusuke. But Yusuke suddenly knew a moment of self-loathing, turning his eyes away. "I couldn't do it," he ground through clenched teeth. "I sacrificed my body, I broke two dozen immortal laws and crossed the Grey Rim, and I still couldn't save you."

"Yusuke."

"Why, damn it. Why didn't you remember my warning? Why didn't you stay out of that alley, why did you have to-"

"Yusuke, stop." The archer of the skies cupped the back of Yusuke's neck, gently forcing the dark youth to look at him. "I didn't forget. I stepped into the line of fire that night, knowing I was giving my life for the demon I love. I regret nothing."

Yusuke swallowed, "You don't?"

"Do you regret saving Cye?"

The dark youth paused, realizing his mind was now flooded with memories of the aquatic warrior as it had never before been. "No. No, I don't."

"It was my choice, and I made it." Then Rowen's eyes shone with dark humor, "Though I don't know whether I should be grateful or pissed that you went ahead and sacrificed your body, anyway."

The barest hint of his usual smirk returned to Yusuke's lips. With a dangerous growl, he pulled Rowen hard against him and hungrily kissed his mouth.

~o~

_(Living World: Toyama, 6 mos. Later)_

Sage groaned, passing a hand through his thick blond hair. They had taken this trip into the city, while Ryo and Kento were keeping Cye busy at the manor, and they were now strolling the shopping district. As Sage's previous relationships had all been with women, this new experience left him at something of a standstill. This last-minute errand was nothing short of torture for him.

"You think I should get him some new clothes?"

And Rowen was enjoying ever minute of it.

"For his birthday? What are you, his mother?"

"Point taken. He might like a fob watch."

"He's a little too young to pass off as your grandfather, Sage."

"A cookbook?"

"He'd take that as an insult."

"A gift card, then."

"Impersonal."

Sage suppressed a profanity, ready to give up. "Come on, Ro. Help me out."

"You're lookin' for something to show him how much you care, right? Something with 'thinking of you' branded all over it, but also something that can only have come from you."

"Yes…"

"So think. How do you best leave your mark?"

"With my landscapes." His pale blue eyes widened, "Oh."

"Yeah, oh." Rowen shook his head, having enjoyed the game but glad to have it ended. "So we'll get you a Polaroid and go… visit… the park…"

Hearing the sudden change in the other's tone, Sage paused and turned back to find that his best friend had slowed to a halt. "Ro? Rowen."

"There he is…"

Sage looked. Across the street, three young men were leaving a new arcade store and approaching the crosswalk. One was tall with long red hair, while another was comparatively shorter and dressed in black. And between them walked a mocha-skinned youth with feathery black hair and fierce brown eyes. Younger, perhaps, than when they had last seen him. But there was no mistake.

As they stepped off the crosswalk and began coming this way, Rowen's throat suddenly went dry. What would he say? How would he explain himself?

But Sage must have felt such thoughts were useless, for he quickly elbowed Rowen into their path. Rowen stumbled, and felt two hands grasp his arms to steady him. He looked up, immediately finding himself staring into those fierce brown eyes.

"Y-Yusuke…"

"Yeah," the dark youth smirked. "I'm Yusuke. Do I know you?"

He still held Rowen by the arms; Rowen realized that at some point during his stumble, his own hand had found its way to the dark youth's shirt. And something tore within Rowen's chest as he felt against his fingers the rare echoing pulse of a strong demonic heartbeat.

"Not yet," he finally answered, his mouth tugging in a sad smile. "But you will."


End file.
